Traditional toy blocks are simply rested upon each other or placed adjacent each other. This greatly limits the variety of multi-block constructions that can be created and the assembly of blocks cannot be lifted and manipulated as a unit. Interlocking locking blocks which can be temporarily engaged together are not subject to these limitations and have become extremely popular.
Interlocking blocks typically have an array of openings on one major face of the block and a matching array of projections on the opposite major face. Such blocks are assembled into a unitized construction by wedging the projections of one block into the openings of an adjacent block with the blocks being in either of two orthogonal orientations relative to each other. This greatly increases the amusement and educational potentialities of toy blocks. Constructions can be assembled that would collapse if formed of unfastened blocks. The assembly of blocks can be picked up, manipulated or be moved intact to another location.
Constructions formed by assembling interlocking blocks of the original design are inflexible throughout and interconnected blocks can only be oriented in the same direction or at right angles to each other. My prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,732, issued Aug. 19, 1986, discloses a more versatile interlocking block configuration which has pivot couplings for linking the ends of adjacent blocks in addition to the projections and openings for rigidly interlocking the faces of stacked blocks. This enables interlocked adjacent blocks to be oriented at any of a variety of angles relative to each other and enables forming of constructions having portions which can be pivoted relative to other portions about one of more pivot axes.
The prior interlocking blocks described above require that all pivot axes in a construction be parallel. A series of interlocked blocks of the prior configuration can be flexed out of an aligned condition in one direction only. The amusement and educational potentialities of such blocks would be greatly enhanced if portions of a construction could be pivoted in one direction while other portions are pivotable in an orthogonal direction and if pivoting of initially aligned blocks in either of two opposite directions were possible.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above.